Machine for the manufacturing of coaxial pairs for telecommunication cables



NOV. 23, 1954 F A 1 DOUCHE-|- 2,694,849

MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURING OF CXIAL PAIRS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONCABLES Flled Feb 20, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 23, 1954 F. A. J.BOUCHET 2,594,849 MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURING OF COAXIAL PAIRS FORTELECOMMUNICATION CABLES Filed Feb. 20, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 7M x .m

Nov. 23, 1954 F. A. J. BOUCHET 2,694,849

MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURING oF coAxIAL PAIRs FOR TELECONMUNICATIONCABLES Filed Feb. 20, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 2,694,849 Patented Nov. 23,1954 MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURING F COAXIAL PAIRS FOR TELECOMMUNICA-TION CABLES Florimoud Aristide Jules Douchet, Paris, France, assignor toSociete Alsacienne de Constructions Mecaniqnes, Paris, France, acorporation of France Application February 20, 1952, Serial No. 272,683Claims priority, application France March 5, 1951 Claims. (Cl. 29-33) Inthe technique of telecommunications, cables are used, comprisingso-called discontinuous insulation coaxial pairs, in which a lirstconductor hereinafter called central conductor is perfectly centeredinside a second conductor of tubular shape, this centering beingobtained by means of insulating discs of plastic material of circularshape placed at regular intervals.

The manufacturing of coaxial pairs in eiected, in the present state ofthe art, in three phases, each one of which requires the use of a welldetined device forming a part of an automatic machine.

The irst phase consists in arranging regularly, on the centralconductor, insulating discs, previously cut and perforated to suitabledimensions, out of a strip of insulating material.

During the second phase the tubular conductor surrounding the insulatingdiscs is formed from a metal tape previously cut.

During the third phase, finally, the assembly previously constituted isprovided with metal and insulating tapes ensuring the outside protectionof the coaxial pair.

In the practical carrying out of the iirst phase, dithculties arise,particularly in case the central conductor has a large diameter. Theinsulating discs are subjected to considerable stresses when, afterbeing slit radially, they are made to straddle the central conductor bymoving apart the edges of the slot. They therefore are in danger oftaking an incorrect position if they are not firmly held during thisoperation.

The present invention, has, as a main object, a device for placinginsulating discs regularly on a central conductor, chiefly in case thisconductor has a large diameter, while avoiding the above mentioneddrawbacks. To this effect, the device which is the object of theinvention encloses each disc, supplied separately from a vertical feedchannel, between elements associated with a wheel to which is imparted amotion of alternate rotation; each disc, after being slit during travelwith the elements along the path of the latter, is then released by theelements only when the slot thus made has closed around the centralconductor and the disc is firmly held by its natural resilience in aposition perpendicular to the axis of the conductor.

This device comprises fundamentally, a block having a substantiallysemi-circular channel the plane of symmetry of which coincides with thegeneral plane of the machine containing the central conductor of thecoaxial pair, a wheel carrying on its periphery a projecting piecepushing the insulating discs and capable of sliding inside said channel,means for imparting to said wheel a motion of alternate rotation overhalf a turn so as to drive said projecting piece, at each run, over thewhole length of said semi-circular channel, and means cooperating withsaid wheel and said projecting piece for enclosing the insulating discsdriven along a semi-circular path corresponding to that of saidprojecting piece and for holding said insulating discs in a radialposition until they are placed in position on said central conductor,and perpendicularly thereto. The said central conductor moves along arectilinear path near the outlet of said channel.

Other features of the device according to the present invention willappear later in the more detailed description given hereinafter withreference to the appended drawings which illustrate schematically anexample of placed on each vertical face of the wheel 1.

-make the support yassociated with the wheel 1, is

embodiment of the device according to the invention and in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view, from the front, of a machine forplacing insulating discs in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view along the line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view, in plan, of a device limiting the movement of thewheel shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is the projection, on a vertical plane containing the axis ofrotation of the wheel illustrated on Figure l, of a section of themachine taken along the line 4 4 of Figure 1 and showing the shape ofthe semi-circular channel tiared at its lower portion, as well as thevertical channel used for the supplying of insulating discs.

Figure 5 is another view of the projection, on a vertical planecontaining the axis of rotation of the wheel illustrated in Figure l, ofa section of the machine, taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, andshowing laterally movable ngers included in the machine in their closedposition on the upper portion of this iigure and in their open positionon its lower portion.

Figure 6 is a view of the driving device for the wheel illustrated inFigure 1, illustrating the stopping of said rwheel at the end of eachrun.

Figure 7 is a view in perspective illustrating the operation of thelaterally movable or retractile fingers.

On Figure 1, 1 designates a main wheel driven in a motion of alternaterotation. This wheel is secured on a shaft 2, associated with a notchedplate 3. A gear 4,

-carrying a driving stud 5 is mounted free on the same shaft; 6 is atoothed sector, 7 a driving wheel the uniform rotation motion of whichis transmitted to the sector 6 through a small connecting rod 8.

Considering Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the amplitude of theangular motion of the wheel 1, and the ment; the continuous motion ofthe gear 4 is thus transmitted in a discontinuous manner to the plate 3and to the wheel 1.

Two laterally movable or retractile fingers 91 and 92 are carried by twosemi-circular supports 101 and 102 These two assemblies are similar andoperate in an identical manner. Figure 7 shows the support 101articulated about an horizontal axis y1y1 parallel with the face of thewheel. Two springs with pincers 131 and 131 tend to 10 pivot about theaxis y1y1 so that to move the fingers 91 and 92 away in the directionsindicated by the these springs tend from each other arrows f1 and f2.

VLugs 111 and 112 are extensions of the ingers 91 and 92 and areengageable by a part 12 capable of rocking about an axis ZZperpendicular to the plane of the wheel 1 so as to oppose separation ofthe fingers 91 and 92. A spring 14 normally holds the rocking part 12 inthe position for engagement with the lugs or extensions.

If the rocking part 12 is subjected to the action of a force in thedirection indicated by the arrow F3, said lugs 111 and 112 are releasedand the fingers 91 and 92 can move apart under the actions of thesprings 131, 13'1, and 132, 132.

The operation of the device according to the present invention will nowbe described with reference, tirst, to Figure l.

In this ligure, the wheel 1 is shown at the upper end of its run.projecting piece or pushing member 15, aligned with a vertical feedchannel 29 for supplying the insulating discs and for pushing them.

The position of the lingers 91 and 92 is such that their distance to theprojecting piece 15 is suiiicient for constituting the housing of aninsulating disc 16.

The feed channel 29 opens into a semi-circular channel', concentric;with the wheel 1, comprised of two elements..181..and.182` (Figuresh l.and 2)., thelower portion.

of which is fiared as may be seen in Figure 4.

The projecting piece 15 pushes the insulating disc 16 which.participates in thus driven in the channel constituted by the elements181 and 182.

During thewhole duration of this rotation, each insu.- lating disc 16 isconstantly immobilized in aradial position by the projecting-piece15 on.theone hand and by the fingers 91 and 92 on the other hand.

On its path, each insulating disc 16 meets an arcuate edge knife 19,shown on Figures l and 4, andv held in the plane of symmetry of theYsemi-circular channel by suitable notches arranged in the elements 181and-182. The pushing member 15 is provided withia radially openingcentral groove f (not shown) to accommodate the knife 19 as the'pushing`member moves through the related portion of the semi-circular channel.

Each insulating` disc being thus slit radially, the edges of the slotare. moved apart and are made to straddle the central conductor2l) ofthe coaxial pair, said conductor 20 beingk alsoI introduced inside the.channel (Figures l, 4, 5). A shim 21 extends the knife 19 but leaves asuliicient space for the passage of theconductor Z, while preventing itfrom evading, the thrust of the insulating. disc 16 at the time ofstraddling.

At the end of the angular run of the wheel 1, the insulatingdisc 16 heldby the projecting piece 154 and the fingers 91 and 92 has remained, in aradial position with respect to said wheel 1 and, consequently, isplaced on the central conductor 20, in a vertical position, i. e.perpendicular to said conductor 20.

`When the wheel-1 reaches the end of vits run,V the rocking part 12 ispushed by an adjustable abutment 22, the lugs 11.1 and 112 are released.and the fingers 91 and 92 move apart under the actions of the springs131, 132 and 131, 13'2.

The lower portion, oftFigureshows theposition, at this stage, of theretractileiingers. The'disc 16 can now be carried along by theA centralconductor 20.

During the whole downward run of the4 projecting piece 15, the feedchannel29 isr stopped by a latch 23 controlled by a springf24..

Theabove described half-rotation-is followed by a half rotation. in theopposite-direction,l during which the fingers 91 and: 92 bear againstthe walls of the semi-circular channel constituted by-fthe two elements181 and 182.

The flared shape of the: semi-circular channel formed by the elements181 and 182, isshown inV Figs. 2 and 4 and allows the fingersy 91 andy92 to: be laterally urged apart after release by the rocking member 12at the lower end of therun of the pushing member 15. onversely, whenthe-wheel is rotated in the opposlte d1rection to return thepushing-,member 15 to its original position, the liaring channel, inwhich the fingers 91 and 92 engage, urges such fingers laterally`together so that the rocking member 12, after release from the abutment22, can again be urged by the spring 14 into locking engagement with thelugs 111 and? 112. Thus, upon return of the pushing member 15 to its.original or.v starting position (Fig. l) the fingers 91 and 92 areheldlaterally together, as shown in the upper portion of Fig. 5, so thatsuch fingers, together with the leading face of pushing member 15 andthe side walls of the semi-circular channel, form the limits of a spaceadaptedV to receive an insulating disc from the guide channel 29.

When the wheel 1 has been returned to its initial or original position,any extension 30 of the pushing member 15 bears against a fixed abutment25 (Fig. l) to limit the return movement of the wheel, and the pushingmember 15 engages the spring urgedtlatch-23 to push the latter' backfrom'the lower end ofthe guide channel 29 thereby to permit aninsulating disc to fall from the latter.

Preferably, the wheel` 1 is yieldablyheld in its initial or originalposition, wherein the spacel between the laterally moveable lingers andthe pushlng member 15 is aligned with the lower end of guide channel 29,by a detent arrangement Which-includesk a roller 28 mounted on the freeend of a lever 26 which is pivoted on the abutment 25, with the roller28 being-urged into a suitable notch on the upper surface of the pushingmember 15 by a spring 27 acting upon lever 26.

During the time the wheel 1 stops in this position, a new insulatingdisc can fall in the housing included bethef rotation` of the; wheel-1and; is,

..channel29a tween the projecting piece 15 and the end of the feed Thedevice is theny back tol its initial position, and the movement ofrotation motion continues, the above described cycle being repeatedidentically.

What I claim is:

l. In a machine for manufacturing a coaxial pair of a telecommunicationcable including a central conductor of relatively large. diameter andinsulating discs on the centralconductor; a, device for placing theinsulating discs on the central conductor comprising means defining afeed channel for guiding the insulating discs to a delivery position, awheel rotatableabout a fixed axis and having a pushing member projectingfrom itsl periphery, means defining a semi-circular channel along theperiphery of said .wheel and concentric with the latter so that saidpushing member can move along said semi-circular channel, in response torotational movement ofl said wheel, one end of said semi-circularchannel being disposed adjacent said feed channel so that said pushingmember c an propel the discs, one at a time, from the delivery posltion,into said semi-circular channel, means for guiding the central conductorinto said semi-circular channel adjacent the other end of the latter,said semi-circular channel flaring laterally from said one end to saidother end thereof, means for rotationally oscillatingV said wheel sothat said pushing member moves along the entire length of saidsemi-circular channel during each oscillation of the wheel, holdingmeans for firmlyV holding the successive insulating discs against saidpushing member while the discs are pushed, one at a time, through saidsemi-circular channel by said pushing member, and said holding meansincluding two laterally movable fingers rotating with said wheell anddisposed' in said semi-circular channel in advance ofv said pushingmember, means yieldably urging said fingers laterally apart to provide aspace therebetween which is sufiiciently wide to permit the passage ofan insulatingdisc therethrough, lockingmeans operative to hold saidngers laterally close together,v a knife having an arcuate cutting edgedisposed in said semi-circular channel to radially slit; the. successiveinsulatingl discs as, the latter are, propelled by said pushing memberso that, as a propelled disc reaches the other end of the semi-circular'channel, the central conductor enters the radial slit of the disc,releasing means. rendering said locking means inoperative when saidfingers and pushing member reach saidother end4 of the semi-circularchannelthereby to releasesaid fingers and. permit spreading apart of thelatter within the relatively wide other end of said semi-circularchannel so that the insulating disc can then move away from the pushingmember, said flaring semi-circular channel moving said fingersVlaterally together during backwardmovement of thefingers to said one endof the semi-circular channel andl means rendering said locking meansoperative again when said fingers reach said Oneend of the semi-circularchannel.

2. In a machine. for manufacturing a coaxial pair of telecommunicationcable including acentral conductor of relatively large diameter andinsulating discsl on the central conductor; a device according to claim1, wherein said fingers have extensions thereon, and whereinl saidlocking meansincludesa rockable member engageablein a first positionwith said extensions to holdl said fingers laterally together andreleasing said extensions when rocked to a second position, said meansrendering `the locking means operative includes a spring acting on saidrockable member to urge the latter to said first position thereof, saidreleasing means includes an abutment engaging said rockable member whensaid fingersreach said other end of the semi-circular channel and`rocking said rockable member to said second position of the latter.

3. In a machine for manufacturing a coaxial pair of telecommunicationcable including a central conductor of relativelylarge diameter andinsulating discs on the central conductor; a device according Vto claiml, wherein said means for rotationally oscillatingsaid wheel includes ashaft concentric with said wheel and fixed to the latter, a gear on saidshaft and angularly movable relative to the latter, a plate fixed onsaid shaft and having a notch therein of limited circumferential extent,a drive pin extending from said gear and engaging in said notch toprovide a lost motion connection between said gear and shaft, a toothedsector meshing with said gear, a continuously rotated driving wheel, anda connecting rod from said sector to said driving wheel to convert thecontinuous rotation of the latter into oscillation of said sector.

4. In a machine for manufacturing a coaxial pair of telecommunicationcable including a central conductor of relatively large diameter andinsulating discs on the central conductor; a device according to claim1, further comprising a latch operative to close said feed channelduring the movement of said pushing member through said semi-circularchannel, and means on said pushing member engaging said latch anddisplacing the latter away from said feed channel to an inoperativeposition when said pushing member returns to its original positionadjacent said one end of the semi-circular channel.

5. In a machine for manufacturing a coaxial pair of telecommunicationcable including a central conductor of relatively large diameter andinsulating discs on the central conductor; a device according to claim4, further comprising a iixed abutment engageable by said pushing returndirection,

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 323,180 Mason July 28, 1885 2,284,690 Stern June 2, 19422,426,623 Larsen Sept. 2, 1947 2,515,487 Bertalan July 18, 1950 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 624,226 Great Britain May 31, 1949

